‘Shark Tank’ review: Proof Eyewear, Hip Chixs, Addison’s Wonderland, Muddy Water Camo

Friday night’s new “Shark Tank” actually had a fashionable theme to it: not only did we have a pair of clothing brands, but there was also specialty begging and sunglasses. We would be lying if we said that this was a successful show: there were no businesses that left with money in hand, though we can hardly say this is a surprise when you consider the sort of products that were being presented (and some of the demands being made).

As always when it comes to our show reviews, we have enclosed specific links to all of the products being sold below.

Addison’s Wonderland – Is there really anything proprietary about this brand? That’s what we are not sure about, since children’s bedding is something that you can really get at any department store in the country. The product is at least beautiful, yields so many options, and we can understand why the sales are strong here in the high-end bedding market.

But is this too high-end? That is what the sharks spent most of their time fighting over. Robert Herjavec was find with the price point, whereas Lori Grenier was really not a fan of it at all. The biggest issue here was simply that the investors did not really see much that they could do with the product, and there was also not enough of an advantage to the investment to make any of them want to take a bite. Therefore, these two left without

Muddy Water Camo – This is what we highlighted in the preview this week, and this is a product that really is innovative to hunters: a way in which to create camouflage using photo-realistic technology that is more effective than anything that is currently on the market.

There’s no question that people would be interested in buying this … but how many? We just can’t see the $3 million investment being something that specific camouflage to get to. Not only do you have to hunt to need this product, but you have to hunt in a place where you need something very specific to blend in. For most casual hunters, normal camo will probably do. This high cost was why they didn’t get an offer that they wanted to accept, and it probably makes sense given that none of these sharks appear to be active hunters in the first place.

Hip Chixs – There is really nothing proprietary here at all: after all, this is hardly the first pair of jeans that is made with a specialty fabric and shape in order to compliment a women’s body. Also, Daymond John is really right: who in the world wants to spend almost $200 on a pair of jeans right now?

These two young ladies had a pretty nice presentation, and the product itself seemed to be something that people would buy in a different economic climate. Kevin O’Leary was probably a little bit harsh in crushing the two’s spirits and dreams, but was it true? We think that these two will see a sales bump thanks to the show, but it’s just hard to see yet another jeans brand cracking the market at the moment.

Proof Eyewear – Based on the introduction alone, we thought that this would be a winner. We knew that sustainable wood products are hot right now, and it definitely also helps that the three brothers behind these sunglasses understand just what their product is and have proven that it can sell hundreds of thousands of dollars.

On the flip side, these guys have some problems with inventory, and despite all of their sales at the moment these three are not really making any money for themselves. There were two buyers in Kevin and Robert, and they each represented a difference of opinion. The former was mostly interested in giving them money (but also getting his money back), whereas Robert was more interesting in growing the company … albeit for a large percentage. Ultimately, they also made a decision to leave with nothing, rather than picking a partner who wants too much.

Ultimately, this was a case where we were quite frankly surprised.

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What was your favorite product shown off on “Shark Tank” this week? Be sure to share some more of your thoughts below, and you can check out some more highlights from this season over at the link here.

Photo: ABC